The Wreckers by Gary Knowelden

Author:Gary Knowelden [KNOWELDEN, GARY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd

CHAPTER 18

Edward climbs into the boat and pulls up the collar of his coat against the wind and rain. Harry, using an oar, pushes them away from the steps; he places the oar back into the metal ring and starts to row. The boat moves gently away from the house and down the drive. Edward turns and waves and calls goodbye to his aunt who is standing at the top of the steps with Bruce. ‘Goodbye, see you both later,’ he calls. ‘Rather you than me, laddie,’ Bruce shouts back in reply, ‘I’m off to my nice warm bed.’ With that, he turns and trots back into the house.

During the drive to town, Edward asks Harry about Pea Haven and the disaster. Harry tells Edward the story again as much as he knows. ‘Have you ever seen any ghosts?’ Edward asks. ‘Not me personally lad but I ‘ave ‘eard the stories about them.’ ‘What stories?’ asks Edward excitedly. ‘Oh just things people are supposed to have seen, not sure I believe in all that stuff meself, mind you when you think about the ‘istory of that old ‘ouse it would not surprise yers.’ ‘What ‘istory, I mean history?’ Edward corrects himself. ‘Well once, a long time ago, it was owned by the leader of a gang of smugglers; apparently there is a secret passage somewheres in the ‘ouse which leads to a network of tunnels that runs down through the cliffs to the cove. The gang used to store their booty down there and use the tunnel to move the stuff, out of the sight of the customs men. But I ain’t ever found the tunnel and I ain’t seen any old ghosties either, just soppy stories that’s what they are. Daft folk with too much cider down their necks if you ask me.’ Edward decides it best not to mention Lucy and Sam to Harry at the moment.

‘What about Mr Ponsonby?’ asks Edward. ‘What do you know about him?’ asks Harry in surprise. ‘Not much, he was in the house yesterday talking to Auntie; I did not like him very much.’ ‘You’re not wrong there lad, he’s a bad ‘un.’ ‘Auntie seemed upset after talking to him; does she have a problem with him?’ ‘You should not worry yourself about it, your aunt wouldn’t want for you to worry about her and spoil your holiday.’ ‘I will worry anyway even if you don’t tell me about him.’ Harry is silent for a while, then he speaks. ‘OK I will tell you as much as I knows, which is not much, but you must not tell your aunt that I told you – she will have my guts for garters.

‘Your aunt has got herself into a bit of money problems, something to do with shares or investments or something, I don’t understand these things. Anyway, she apparently lost most of her money so she was forced to take out a loan to tide her over until things improved. The house was in a bit of a state; it had been neglected for years.

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